Speed-indicator.



PATENTED FEB. 19, -l907.

THE NORRIS PEYERS c0. wasnnvomrv a c UNITE STATES Paraur @FFIG.

SPEED-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed July 2.1904. Serial N0i 215.177.

1'0 (all 1117110717, it 711,051 concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES TIBURCE FELIX CONTI, engineer, of 195 Boulevard Pereire, in the city of Paris, Republic of France, have invented Improvements in Speed-Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description.

This invention relates to a new speed-indieating apparatus which utilizes the differences of level occupied by a fluid in a receptacle running about its axis.

This ag'iparatus essentially comprises a receptacle having a central capacity connected with an upper lateral tubular or circular chamber and containing a heavy liquid, such as mercury, upon which rests a lighter liquid the level of which will depend upon the def ormations of the heavy liquid under the influ ence of the centrifugal power.

This speed-indieating apparatus is represente d, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents in vertical section one embodiment or construction of this indicator. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section made according to the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of modification.

The present embodiment of my invention com' zrises a central holder a over which is arranged. a hollow body at, having the shape of a frustum of a cone and continued at its upper part by the tube 0 and an external tube d", concentric with the tube 1), and connected at its lower part with a frustum of a hollow cone (Z, the bottom of which is continued into a cylinc-irical part d. This cylindrical part (Z is adjusted either by screwing, byhard friction, or in any other suitable manner, upon the holder a so as to allow of the longitudinal shifting of this external body (1% upon the central holder e The part (1 and the pipe d have a space between them and the body a and the tube 1), so as to constitute the annular space 0 The central holder a con'nnunicates, by means of the holes (1' with the lower part of this annular space 0 and the bore of body a reaches to the level of these holes The two pipes I) (Z are closed at their upper part by means of a stopper 76,11] which is provided a small channel is, through which the upper part of the annular space 0 communicates with the upper inner part of pipe I). I

The apparatus is inclosed within a casing Z, on the lower p art of which it rests by means l l l l of a ballbearing m and at the upper part of which it is maintained by a needle-valve a.

The central holder a is connected by any transmission device a flexible part 0, for instance-to the part the rotary speed of which is to be measured.

The casing Z is provided with longitudinal openings, allowing the displacement of the liquid to be seen, and carries a suitably-gaged scale on one side of these openings.

In thev position of rest the mercury occupies the level it, so as to leave free at the lower part of the apparatus the communication be tween the tube Z) and the annular space 0 As above stated, there is over the mercury a light liquid.

When a rotary motion about its axis is imparted to the apparatus, the mercury ascends under the action of the centrifugal power into the annular space 0 and breaks off the communication of the light liquid contained within the pipe I) and the one contained within the annular space 0 As the mercury ascends in this annular space 0 it lifts the column of light liquid which is above this mercury, and this light liquid then ascends into the space comprised between the two pipes I) and d. A level thus corresponds to every speed, and it is therefore easy to form a scale by marking the difl'erent levels corresponding to the different speeds, so that the division in front of which the liquid stops will always indicate the rotary speed which is to be determined.

The centrifugal power being function of the square of the speed and of the distance between the rotary axis and the center of gravity of the may r g mass, the annular space pod and narrower at its must be fiiistum-s upper p t as shown in Fig. 4, so that the center of gravity of the moving mercury will be kept beyond a certain speed at a sensibly constant distance from the rotary axis and the light liquid will ascend relatively not as fast as the mercury. Furthermore, in virtue of the difference of inclination. of the gene?- ating lines of the 'f ustums a d it is possible by sliifting the external body d" d d upon the central holder a to increase or to diminish the capacity of the 'fjzustum-shaped annular space. At every adjusting some light liquid must be added or withdrawn in order to bring the level of the latte back to the zero of the graduation, the apparatus being at rest. If the quantity of light liquid to be displaced in front of the scale is taken into con- I sideration, it is obvious that this quantity will correspond toa constant quantity of mercury, and when the two frustums will have been brought the one nearer to the other the maximum of the graduation will correspond to a higher speed, whereas the mercury will have been obliged to still further ascend. It is therefore possible to vary the value of the maximum speed which the apparatus can indicate by regulating the capacity of the i'rustum-shaped annular space.

The apparatus can be made of all sizes that can vary according to the limits of speeds to be measured. The lower part of the apparatus will be either of glass, as well as the tubes 6 and d, or of metal. In this case the parts in contact with the mercury will be glazed in the oven, so that they cannot become injured.

The indicating liquid will be preferably a liquid having a very low ireezing-pointsuch as a solution of glycerin, Vaseline oil, 620. This liquid can be colored and the tube in which it is displaced can carry a colored strip similar to that of the gages of generators in order to facilitate the reading.

In order to adjust the part (1 relatively to the part a the gland a shown as connecting the two parts, is unscrewed, thus permitting the part (I to be moved relatively to the part a. After the parts are adjusted the gland is again tightened to secure them in their position. It will be understood that by movmg the part (1 downward upon the part a the annular space between the said parts is lessened, while by moving the said l part 02 upward this space is increased.

1 cl aim 1. A speed-indicator comprising a central rotary holder containing a heavy liquid such as mercury, a frustum-shaped body arranged above said rotary holder, said body being provided with a tubular extension, and with a central longitudinal channel traversing the body and the tubular extension, an external member mounted upon the central holder,

and having an internal frustum-surface concentric to the frustum-shaped body, and whose generating-lines are more inclined upon the axis than those of said body, said external body being spaced apart from the l frustum-shaped body, said external body 1 having a tubular extension concentric with the tubular extension of the frustum-shaped body and spaced apart therefrom, the central holder being provided with orifices above the level of the heavy liquid and leading from the interior thereof to the space between the irustum-shaped body and the external body, the said last-named space communicating with the space between the tubular extensions, and the tubular extension of the frustum-shaped body having an orifice at the upper end thereof forming the communication between the interior of said body and the s' ace between the tubular extensions, a lighter liquid being provided within and be tween said bodies and resting upon the heavy liquid.

2. A speed-indicator comprising a central rotary holder containing a heavy liquid such as mercury, a frustum-shaped body arranged above said rotary holder, said body being provided with a tubular extension, and with a central longitudinal channel traversing the body and the tubular extension, an external member mounted upon the central holder, and having an internal frustum-surface concentric to the irustum-shaped body, and whose generating-lines are more inclined upon the axis than those of said body, said external body being spaced apart from the frustum-shaped body, said external body having a tubular extension concentric with the tubular extension of the frustum-shaped body and spaced apart therefrom, the central holder being provided with means for adjusting the position of the external body with respect to the central holder, and with ori ices above the level of the heavy liquid and leading from the interior therefrom to the space between the frusturn-shaped body and the external body, the said last-named space communicating with the space between the tubular extensions, the tubular extension of the irustum-shaped body having an orifice at the upper end thereof forming a commu nication between the interior of said body and the space between the tubular extensions, a lighter liquid being provided within and between said bodies and resting upon the heavy liquid. I

The foregoing specification of my improvements in speed-indicators signed by me this 23d day of June, 1904.

JAMES TIBURCE FELIX CONTI'. Witnesses:

HANSON O. (Joxn, MAURICE H. PIGUET. 

